For Love and Freedom
by Antha32
Summary: 'That boy…one of her boys…was gone. Her best friend, her first friend, the closest thing she would ever have to a brother, was dead.' Hermione's POV of the Final Battle. All canon. One-Shot.


**_A/N- Hey everyone! Deathly Hallows-Part 2 was amazing, right? I've seen it twice and I cried both times...it was such a moving movie and very beautiful. Anyway, I've been thinking about writing this story for awhile, and the movie got me to do it. It's Hermione's POV of the Final Battle, mostly from between finding Remus and Tonks dead until the end. It's mostly based off the book, but there were a few movie scenes I added because I loved them so much. So, please read, enjoy, and review!- Sam_**

"_I can't think of anybody else who I hate to miss as much as I hate missing you." _6 Months, Hey Monday

"_They're so many wars we fight. They're so many things we're not, but with what we have, I promise you that we're marching on. We're marching on." _Marchin On, One Republic

Hermione thought today might be the worst day of her life. She held tighter to Ron, whose head was on her shoulder, his hot tears falling on her dirt and blood- caked jacket. She felt her own eyes sting with the tears she was holding in. She rubbed Ron's back softly, trying her hardest to stay composed, but miserably failed. She laid her head on his ginger hair and closed her eyes tightly; horrid memories of the battle that was still not won flowing through her head.

Destroying the Horcrux, the terrible object saying things to her that only she could hear.

The fire coming closer and closer to their broomstick as Hermione held onto Ron for dear life, hoping to Merlin that this would not be their death- what a horrible, horrible way to die.

Harry, shaking as he went into Voldemort's mind, looking absolutely terrified, tears coming to his eyes for the first time in a long time. She holding his shuddering hand until he came back to them, one of Ron's hands on each of their shoulders.

Green and red lights moving across the sky like shooting stars, only not causing delight, but mind- breaking fear. Giants, threatening with their huge feet to step on anyone in their way. Spiders running towards them on hairy legs, their eyes searching for new food. Death Eaters and children fighting one another.

Fred, dead on the floor, a laugh still etched on his face.

Snape ripped apart by that Merlin-awful snake, telling Harry to take his memories. He looking into Harry's eyes and telling him they were his mother's. Snape's dark orbs, vanishing of all life.

Voldemort's cold voice, flooding her mind loudly as he told Harry to sacrifice himself in the only way that would actually convince Harry.

The Weasleys crying over Fred's body. Tonks and Remus, the happy new parents, lying peacefully in a sleep they would never wake up from. Herself, holding Ron's shaking hand and stroking Ginny's scarlet hair, grief taking over her heart as she joined in with fresh tears. Harry…Harry vanished.

Harry, she realized, coming back to her senses. Where the bloody hell was Harry? She cursed herself for letting him out of her sight. Where was he? He wouldn't…no, he wouldn't. Right?

She raised her head from Ron's, shaking his shoulders. "Ron? What happened to Harry?"

"Harry?" He asked, wiping his eyes. "I thought he was with us. You know…back there." He didn't dare mention his dead brother and neither did she.

"No, he's not…" She whispered, horror rushing through her veins. "You don't think he would give himself over, do you?"

"I don't know…" Ron replied, looking at her with terror in his eyes, "it seems like a Harry thing to do…but he wouldn't. Right? He knows better than that…"

"Let's go find him," Hermione answered, not wanting to think that it was a Harry thing to do. She stood up and grabbed Ron's hand.

"Right," he replied, "umm…thank you. For that, you know." He gestured to the place he was last sitting, where he had cried into her neck.

"Of course, Ron." She looked at him, staring into those beautiful blue eyes. She wished right then that he would kiss her again…it was the one memory of that night that actually made her feel something more than horrible. It made her feel like she was walking on air. She was so desperately in love with this boy…

Ron looked about as tempted to kiss her, as she wanted him to. But then, he shook himself out of his trance. "Harry."

"Right."

They walked around the destroyed grounds, looking here and there for their black haired best friend. They saw plenty of people, a fair few of them dead. Hermione tried to avoid the faces of the passed ones, knowing that if she even recognized one, she would break down again. They, however, did not see the familiar bright green eyes.

Hermione looked this way and that, but no luck. Suddenly, something caught her eye- long, stunningly red hair.

"Ginny!" She cried. The girl looked back at her, her brown eyes wide and troubled. Ginny ran to Hermione and Ron, clutching her heart.

"Ginny, have you seen-" Hermione started.

"Something's wrong," Ginny murmured, interrupting Hermione. She looked around, her eyes searching for someone. "Where's Harry?" She looked petrified, her hands shaking.

"I was just about to ask you the same thing," Hermione replied, moving her hand from Ron's onto Ginny's shoulder. "What do you mean something's wrong?"

Ginny didn't answer, but looked over Hermione's shoulder at someone. "Neville!" she cried.

Neville ran up from behind Hermione and Ron, blood on his face and clothes. "What's up, Gin?"

"Have you seen Harry?" She asked, getting shakier by the minute.

"Um," Neville started, running his hand through his dark hair, "I saw him about fifteen minutes ago. He told me that he was going to be out of sight or something. Told me to kill the snake."

Hermione's heart stopped. Kill the snake. Out of sight. Kill the snake. Out of sight.

She, Ron, and Harry were the only ones who knew about the Horcruxes, at least to Harry's knowledge. Three people who knew that the snake had to be killed. Why would Harry need to ask another? There were three of them…they could handle it by themselves…unless Harry thought that three of them would soon turn to two…

She looked at Ron, her eyes wide and horrified. His own eyes reflected hers and she knew he was thinking the same thing. Harry thought he'd be dead. No, Harry knew he would be dead. He had gone to sacrifice himself.

"No…" Ron whispered.

"Yes," Hermione replied, her eyes filling with tears, "Neville, where did he go? We've got to stop him before-"

"_Harry Potter is dead," _Voldemort's voice filled the halls as screams went up with it.

"No…no he can't be," Ginny whispered, looking at the other three. Hermione couldn't move. Ginny was right…Harry couldn't be dead. Hermione would know if he was dead. She would have felt something.

"_He was killed as he ran away, trying to save himself while you lay down your lives for him. We bring his body as proof that your hero is gone. The battle is won. You have lost half of your fighters. My Death Eaters outnumber you and the Boy Who Lived is finished. There must be no war. Anyone who continues to resist, man, woman or child will be slaughtered, as will every member of their families. Come out of the castle now, kneel before me, and you shall be spared. Your parents and children, your brothers and sisters will live and be forgiven, and you will join me in the new world we shall build together."_

The four of them looked at each other, shaking with freight.

"He's bluffing," Neville said nervously after a few minutes, shaking his head, "Harry's fine, you'll see. We'll keep fighting and-"

"NO!" came a horrible cry from outside, and at the moment, as much as she wished Neville were right, she knew that Voldemort was not bluffing.

She held fast onto Ron as the four of them all ran outside the castle. A group of crying, screaming people stood, there and the four of them fought to the front of it. There was a large group of Death Eater's there, Voldemort leading them, and Hagrid was standing there too, crying as he held onto a familiar body-

"NO!" Hermione cried with Ron, her world breaking into two at that point, for the body lying in Hagrid's arms was the one of her best friend.

Hermione closed her eyes. Harry was gone. That boy…one of her boys…was gone. Her best friend, her first friend, the closest thing she would ever have to a brother, was dead.

She remembered, suddenly, riding on the Hogwarts Express that first time as she encountered that boy for the first time. True, he was much smaller then and much more innocent to the world around him, but until now, he had always been that same sweet little boy in taped up glasses she had met that first day she truly felt like a witch. She remembered the days, weeks, years after that day one, the many laughs and smiles and tears she had shared with that boy, most of the time along with the funny red haired boy she now called the love of her life. She remembering thinking once how she ever survived life without those two boys. Now, one of them was gone, far, far away from her, and Hermione felt like a part of her soul was gone with him. Harry had been her absolute best friend in the world. Her best friend ever. And now…and now he was gone.

She couldn't bear to look back at his body again, now lying at his murderer's feet. She buried her head into Ron's neck, which was shaking with dry sobs too. She still had Ron, she realized as tears fell down her cheeks. At least she had Ron. If she didn't have Ron, she'd be gone. She had Ginny too, but the poor girl had just lost the love of her life. And she had Luna…and Neville…

Neville. She heard his voice. She couldn't realize what he was saying over this horrible grief she felt, but she tried to understand. She heard shattering as well, and she heard shouts of horror too. She forced herself to look up from Ron's protective arms.

Neville had the Sorting Hat on his head. It was on bloody fire.

_No! _She mentally screamed. _Not Neville, please don't take him anyway from me too. You already took Harry…please don't take another person I love so much._

And, then, Neville wasn't burning anymore. He was pulling the ruby rimmed sword of Gryffindor out of the hat and slashing the head of the snake off. Nagini was dead, and Neville had finally proved himself that he truly belonged in his beloved House- Gryffindor.

Voldemort was screaming. Ron was pulling away from her, running to aid Neville in battle with the many Death Eaters approaching him. Ginny was running to Voldemort, but Hermione grabbed her arm, ignoring her grief yet again. They met Bellatrix at the same time as Luna and began to duel.

Hermione threw every curse she had at the bitch that had tortured her to near madness, but it been no use. Bellatrix was fighting three against one and winning, laughing at the little girls who were her duel partners. _Laugh all you want, _thought Hermione, a small smile on her face, _but we will never, ever stop fighting for this. For Dumbledore, for Fred, for Remus and Tonks, for Harry, for love, for freedom._

A green spell erupted from Bellatrix's wand and headed straight to Ginny. Hermione's heart stopped once again and she stood frozen as the green light got closer to Ginny.

_Damn you, _she screamed in her mind, closing her eyes, _don't you bloody dare take my girl away from me._

When Hermione opened her eyes, to her relief, Ginny was not dead on the ground. Instead, she was being pushed aside by her mother.

"NOT MY DAUGHTER, YOU BITCH!" Mrs. Weasley screamed as she went into battle with Bellatrix Lestrange. Hermione felt worry at first for Ron's mum, but it quickly melted away, for Molly Wealsey was passionate about getting this woman back for all the horrid things she had done. Sure enough, Bellatrix was soon dead on the floor too, and yells of happiness filled the room. That was, until Voldemort turned his wand on the motherly figure.

"No!" Hermione cried out loud this time, praying once more that Ron would not loose his mother on this day. That would be too much for him. It would be too much for her, too.

"_Protego!" _a very, very familiar voice yelled. Hermione looked around, her eyes welling up with tears again. _No, _she thought, though her heart soured at the thought, _There's no way he's not…_

But she saw him. Brave, kind, breathing, living Harry, who ran back to Voldemort with his working legs. Her best friend was alive.

She was conscience of the fact that Ron had an arm around her waist. She was gripping Ginny's hand hard. She could feel tears of joy falling onto her cheeks.

_He's alive, he's alive, he's alive._

"I don't want anyone to try and help," he said, and Hermione wanted to roll her eyes and laugh, but she could only matter a smile through her tears. He was such a bloody noble git of a best friend. But he was her bloody noble git of a best friend, and that made all the difference.

Hermione watched Harry circle with Voldemort, and the insane puzzle Dumbledore left for three teenagers to figure out finally was solved. Harry had given up his life for them, his friends, and he had sealed a charm that Voldemort would never brake on them, the same his mother used on him- love. Snape was innocent…he was as much of Dumbledore's man as Harry was, from the moment Lily Potter's life was threatened until just a few hours before, when he looked into the son of the woman he loved and the man he hated eyes and died. The Elder Wand, though, the reason Snape had died, had never been his. It had been Draco's…who had been overpowered by Harry…, which meant that Harry was the true master of Death.

Hermione realized that this man who she and so many others had feared for so long was a fool. He may know every spell on the planet, he may be extremely powerful, but he didn't understand the most powerful and important thing that Harry, Dumbledore, Lily Potter, Snape, and everyone who ever felt for someone as Hermione felt for the boy holding her to him, the girl whose hand was in hers, the wizard holding the hawthorn wand, the two dentists in Australia and so many more people. Tom Riddle would never realize that love was the most magical and wonderful and powerful thing this world had to offer. Love was what brought them all here to fight, love was what kept them going all this time. Love conquers all.

It was a new day, a new beginning, and even before it happened, Hermione knew what was to come. The spells were cast, the battle was won. Tom Marvolo Riddle was dead, and Harry Potter stood panting, the Elder Wand and hawthorn wand in his hand.

Before she realized what she was doing, she was running to Harry. She jumped into his arms, smiling through her tears. Ron came right behind her and wrapped his long arms around the both of them. Their trio was back together at last, their story to go far beyond this horrid night, the night when they had finally reached victory after all this time. They were holding one another now though, the tiny boy in glasses who became a hero, the bushy know-it-all who was now a girl who loved, lost, and won, and the funny redhead who had grown to be the bravest best friend there was.

Ginny came next and wrapped her arms tightly around Harry, and Ron picked Hermione up at that moment, holding her close to him. He looked down at her and with the crowd coming from all places in the Entrance Hall, kissed her passionately. Then she was hugging Ginny, Luna, Neville, Mrs. Wealsey, Bill, Fleur, Mr. Weasley, Kingsley, Dean, Seamus, Parvati, and so many more as she was pushed from one to another. But, not so much later, she found Ron again and had put her arms back around him, right next to Harry, Ginny, Neville, and Luna. Smiles were on their dirty faces, even though not all was won without lost, even though there was a world to recover. It didn't matter at the moment. They had finally, finally claimed their victory.


End file.
